Rolling mill



R. C. WALTER Oct. 18, 1932.

ROLLING MILL Filed dan. 9, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1932. R. c. WALTER 1,383,140

ROLLING MILL Filed Jan. 9. 1929 s sheets-sheet 2 R. C. WALTER Oct. 18, 1932.

ROLLING MILL Filed Jan. 9.` 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N wbb QN MN Yroughing mill,

Patent@ Octo 18,. 1932 RALPH COLLDES WALTER, F WESTERN' ELECIBIC GOMPANY, INGEPRATED, Y@

SPRINGS, ILLINOIS, ASSXGEQR TQ WESTERN 0F NEW YORK, N'. Y., A. CGRPOMTION F NEW ROLLING MILL Application med January 8, 1929. Serial No. 331,310..

This invention relates to a rolling mill, and more particularly to apparatus for transferring and guiding the material between the various stands of a rolling mill.

An object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for transferring material to various sta es of a processing apparatus.

In ecco ance with one embodiment of the invention there is provided automatically operated apparatus for progressively transferring a bar from one pass of a reduction mill to another, thereby eliminating the danger incident to an operator handling; a heated bar. The several parts of this apparatus are functionally interrelated and cooperatively arranged to ieceive a bar from the first pass of a roughing mill, direct it to the second. pass, thence through the other passes of the mill, and finally te one of two passes of an intermediate mill.. From the first pass of the roughing mill, the bar passes along shelf which allows the bar to descend to a lower level, and immediately that it is free of thc rolls, mechanism responds to force the thus reduced bar to a cucceeding pass in the The har in leaving this pass in the mill is' diverted and transferred from a lower to an upper level of reducing rolls which cause a further reduction in the cross section of the bar. The har from the last mentioned rolls is dischargedy on to a table which supports the har until it reaches a predetermined point. when it is tilted and the bar falls into a trough through which it is advanced to the next pass of reducing rolls. The advancement of the bar continues through the remaining passes of the roughing mill automatically and when the bar leaves the last pass of that mill, it is directed to one of a plurality of passes in the first stand of rolls in an intermediate mill.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the folfL lowing detailed description, taken in cont nection, with the accompanying drawings, illustrating one embodiment thereof, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic plan vie-ws of the repeater system and with Fig. 2 placedl .table tilting mechanism immediately to the right of Fig. la comn plete system is shown;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the apparatus for directing the bar to the second pass of the roughing mill;

Fig. 4- is an enlarged fragmentary tional View taken on the line 4in-i of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a artial plan View of the table for receiving t 1e bar upon its discharge from the upper set of rolls at the third pass in the rougliing mill;

Fig, 6 is an enlarged partial sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 in the direc tion indicated by the arrows, showing the and the tripping lever for controlling the operationy of the rollers for advancing the bar to the fourth pass in the lower set of rolls ol the roughing" mill;

Fig, 7 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanism for controlling of the tltin f of the table which receives the har from t le third pass of the roughing mill ;l

Figs.. 8 rand 9'are a plan view and an end elevational view, respectively, o the mechanism for directing the har to the various passes of the iirst roll stand of the interme diete mill;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the ap paratus for controlling` the operation of the mechanism shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and

Fig. l1 is a ragnienters;7 sectional View taken on theline ll-ll of Fig. 8 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views and particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the numeral 20 designates generally a three-high roughing mill of any well known t pe, between the top and middle rolls o which, a healed bar ol' metal tobe reduced or rolled into rod form is inserted at 21 immediately upon being taken from a furnace (not shown). After assing between the rolls at 21 the bar will fol ow the course indicated hy a dotted line 22 and will be directed onto a tapering shelf 28. the nar row end of which is adjacent the rolls. The shelf 23 is tapered so that its narrow end the end o is of insuilicient width to support the bar and consequently will permit 1t to fall from the shelf edgewise into a trough 25 upon its release by the rolls.

A pair of oppositely disposed channel irons 26 and 27 (Figs. 3 and 4) mounted on the floor of the rolling mill form the sides of the trough 25 and are spaced apart, a distance equal to the thickness of the bar after it has passed through the first pass of rolls, by a rectangular bar 29 which forms the base of the trough. Secured to the upper flange of the channel iron 27 is a substantially L- shaped member 30, which, together with a depending member 31 secured to the table 23, serves asian apron for guiding the bar edgewise into the trough.

A tripping lever 33 is pivoted at 34 to a projection 35 on the web and in the channel of the channel iron 27 and enters the trough 25 through an aperture 37 in the web of the 'channel iron 27. The lower end of the lever engages a valve stem 38 on which are mounted three disk type valves 39, 41 and 42 which are slidable longitudinally in a chamber 43 of a timing valve 45. Ports 47 and 49 are provided in the chamber 43 and are connected to a source of air under pressure not shown) by a pipe 50. The air admitte to the chamber through the port 47 may be directed to either end of a cylinder 51 by pipes 53 and 54 connected to ports 55 and 57 formed inthe timing valve and ports 59 and 61 respectively, in the c linder 51, depending on t e position of the isk type valves 39 and 41 in the timing valve.

The air admitted to the chamber 43 through the port 49 normally holds the valve stem 38 and the lever 33 in the position shown in Fig. 4, because of the force exerted upon the disk 42 by the air, whereupon air admitted through the port- 47 will pass through the chamber and the ipe 53 to the right end Fig. 4 of the cylin er 51 and maintain a piston 62 mounted in the c linder and an actuating plunger 63 in t e position shown. When the lever is moved to the left by a bar dropped from the shelf 23 and into the trough 25, it will move the valve stem and disk valves to the left so that the air in the right end Fig. 4 of the cylinder mayl be exhausted through the pipe 53 and t e open end of the chamber 43.

The disk valve 39 having been moved to a position between the ports 47 and 55 and the disk valve 41 having been moved to the left of port 57, air admitted from the pipe 50 will pass through the ort 47, the chamber, and the pipe 54 to the eft end of the cylinder to move the piston 62 and a plunger 63 to the right. When the plunger is moved to the right (Fig. 4), left (Fig. 3*), it will engage the bar awa from the roughing mill and push the bar ack into the second pass between the bottom and middle rolls of the rou hing mill at 65. As soon as the end of the ar passes the lever 33 the force of the air admitted through the port 49 of the timing valve 45 upon the disk 42 will reset the tripping lever 33 and plunger 63 automatically for pushing another bar into the rolls, by moving the disks and stem to the right. When the disks and stem are moved to the right, the stem will force the tripping lever back into the trough and will cause the disks to assume the position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the air entering the port 47 will flow through the chamber, the port 55, and pipe 53 to the port 59 of the cylinder, and the air at the left of the piston 62 will be permitted to escape through th'e port 61, pipe 54, to the chamber 43 and out of the chamber through an exhaust port 66.

,After the bar passes through the second pass of the roughing mill it is directed to a pneumatically controlled device for guiding it to the upper set of rolls at a third pass. This d vice is comprised of a semi-circular pipe 6 mounted on a frame 69 which is resiliently urged to lthe right (Fig. 1) by a pneumatic cylinder in a well known manner to accommodate variations in the length of the rod advanced by the rolls and to provide a cushioning means for absorbing shocks caused by the advancing rod.

The rolls at the third pass having received and reduced the bar a predetermined amount will discharge it onto a guideway 71 which directs it onto a table 73. In passing over the ideway 71 the bar engages a bell crank lever 74, (Figs. l, 5 and 7), which is normally held by a contractile spring 77 in a position where it will project through an aperture in the guideway and into the path of the bar. The bell crank lever in its normal position engages the stem 78 of a pop-pet valve 79 and holds it out of its seat in a valve chamber 81to permit air under pressure to. pass from a source (not shown) through apipe 82, chamber 81 and a pipe 83 to a chamber 85 in a timing valve 86. The air admitted to the chamber 85 will be directed through either a pipe 87 or a pipe 89 to the top or bottom, respectively, of a cylinder 90 to actuate a piston 91 cooperating therewith either upwardly or downwardly depending on the position of valve disks 93 and 94 mounted on a valve stem 95, which are slidable longitudinally in the chamber 85.

Upon its engagement by the bar, the bell crank lever 74 will be moved about its pivot to permit the poppet valve 79 to close and to engage a stem 97 of a. poppet valve 98 to open the valve 98 and allow the air under pressure in the pipe 82 to enter a chamber 99 in the valve 98. The chamber 99 has a pipe 101 connected thereto through which the air will pass to a four-way valve 102 and through ports 103 and 105 of the four-way valve and alpipe 106 to the right end (Fig.'7) of the ting it to close and will cause the chamber 85 of the timing valve 86. The air admitted to the right end of the chamber 85 of the timing valve will force a iston 107 mounted en the stem 95 to the left to move the disks 94 and 93 to a position to the left of ports 109 and 110, respectively, to which the pipes 87 and 89 respectively, are attached. This will connect the pipe 87 through the chamber 85 to an exhaust pipe 111 and will connect the pipe 89 through the chamber 85 to the pipe 83 and when die bar passes oyer the bell crank lever 74 to release it, the spring 77 will cause the bell crank lever to open the poppet valve 79 and will permit the poppet valve 98 to close. The air will then pass from the pipe 82 through the pipes 83 and 89 to the bottom of the cylinder 90 and force the piston 91 upwardly.

A rod 113 fixed to the piston 91 carries at its upper` end a pin 114 which engages the inner edges of a bifurcated portion of a lever 115 secured to a shaft 117. Upon the movement upwardly or downwardly of the piston 91, a rotary motion will be imparted to the Shaft 117 which controls the movement of the four-way valve 102. lVhen the piston 91 is moved upwardly it will rotate the shaft 117 to disconnect the port 103 from the port 105 in the four-way valve and will connect the port 103. to a port 118 and a port 105 to an exhaust-port 119. The next bar to pass through the roughing mill will engage the bell crank lever and cause it to close the poppet valve 79 and open the poppet valve 98 so that air will be admitted from the pipe 82 through the pipe 101, port 103 of the fourway valve to the port 118 and the pipe 121 connected thereto to the left end of the timing valve 86. The air in the timing valve between the piston 107 and the right end of the valve will be exhausted through the pipe 106, port 105, and exhaust port 119, and the air admitted to the left end of the valve will force the piston 122 mounted on the left end of the valve stem 95 to the right carrying the valve disks 93 and 94 and the piston 107 and 122 to the position shown in Fig; 7.

After the bar releases the bell crank lever the spring.r 77 will move the lever out of engagement `with the poppet valve 98 permitpoppetvalve 79 to open, thereby permitting air to flow from the pipe 82 through pipe 83, chamber 85, port 109 to the upper end of thc,cylin der 90. At the same time, the air in the lower end of the cylinder 90 will be permitted to escape through the pipe 89, chamber 85 and an exhaust pipe 123. The air in the upper end of the cylinder 90 will force the piston 91 downwardly and reverse the movement of the shaft 117 to return the four-way valve to the position shown in Fig. 7. Thus hars successively passing over the b ell crank lever will cause the piston to alternatelv move upwardly and downwardly.

The shaft 117 (Fig. 6) is journalled in brackets 125-125 mounted on irregularly shaped supporting members 126-126 positioned on the floor of the mill and has secured thereto at spaced intervals a plurality of toggle connections, designated generally by the numeral 127. Each toggle connection is composed of an upper and lower toggle lever 129 and 130, respectively, pivotally attached together by a pin 131. The upper toggle levers are pivoted at 132 to rejections 133-133 formed on the under sidi: of an inverted'channel iron 134 which also has projections 135--135 formed on its under surface by means of which the channel is pivoted at 137 on the brackets 125-125.

The right hand flange (F ig. 6) of the channel 134 has a plate 138 attached to the outer surface thereof and the left hand flange has an L-shaped angle iron 139 on which the table 73 is mounted, hinged thereto at spaced intervals by means of brackets 141 and 142 fixed to the flange of the channel iron and one side of the angle iron respectively. This L-shaped angle iron and the plate 138 form sides for the table 7 3 to retain the bar thereon. The brackets 141 and 142 are pivotally` connected to each other at 143. `When 'the toggle connection is in the position shown in Fig. 6, its extreme right hand position, or when it is in its extreme left hand position due to the rotation of the shaft 117 by the piston 91, the longer side of the angle iron 139 rests on the top of the inverted channel iron. Upon the movement upwardly or downwardly of the piston 91, the channel 'will be tilted by the toggle connection and the angle iron will be supported by rollers 145-- 145 mounted on projecting portions 146--146 of the brackets 125 and engaging the lower surface of the angle iron through slots 147- 147 cut in the web of the channel irons. This movement of the channel iron and angle iron willkdisplace them to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and will discharge a bar therefrom onto a guide apron 149 secured to the irregularly shaped supporting members 126. The guide apron will direct the har edgewise into the trough 150 formed by the apron 149 and channel iron 151 mounted on the floor and spaced apart by two channel irons 153 and 154 which form the base of the trough and which are mounted with their web portions abutting 'the apron 149 and the channel. 151 respectively, and their flanges abutting cach other.

A tripping lever 155 which actuates a timinn' valve 157 of the same type as the timing ave 45 described hereinhe'ore, is pivotally mounted on the web of the channel 151 and will be engaged by a bar discharged from the table 73 into the trough 150. When the tripping lever 155 is moved to the right {hig 6), the timin valve 157 will admit air under pressure to t e left end of a cylinder 158 to in the cylinder 158 to j right (Fig. 6) upwardly (Fig. 5) by a bar engaging :the lever 155, the bar will be pinched between the idler and the driven rollers and forced into a guideway 173 which will direct the bar at 174 to the fourthfpass in the lower set of rolls of the rouhing mill.

After the bar has been passed t roughthe lower set of rolls at the fourth pass, it is directed to a horizontal repeater 175, preferably of the type shown and described in copnding application, Serial No. 179,828, filed arch 31, 1 927, now Patent No. 1,709,448, which guides it to the last pass in the upper set of rolls of the roughing mill. The bar is next directed from the last pass of the roughing mill through a power oscillated chute 17 7 and a table 178 to a bell mouth twister guide 179 preferably of the type, also described in the hereinbefore mentioned co pending application for turning the bar and moving it forward on its edge.

A guideway, designated generally by the numeral 181, is provided to receive the bar from the twister guide and direct 1t to predetermined ones of a pluralit of passes 182-182 in the first stand of an intermediate mill 183 (Fig. 2). The guideway 181 is pivotally mounted at 185 on a table 186 and is comprised of a pair of side walls 187-187 supported on a base 189 by a pair of angle virons 190-190 and supporting a top plate 191. The top plate is held in place on the side walls by thumb screws 19?-193 thread ed in cross bars 194--194 which are secured to the threaded ends of a pair of U-bolts 195-195 which engage the under surface of the base 189.

A block 197y is secured to the under side of the hase and is supported by a bracket 198 which is adjustably secured to a carriage 199 by headed members 201-201. A head 202 formed` on the headed members 201-201 engages shoulders 203-203 (Fig. 11) of a T- shaped slot 205 and the other end of the headed member is pased through apertures 20S-206 and in the bracket 198 and secured thereto by nuts 207-207 threaded on the headed member. Adjustment of the bracket and of the guideway 181 transversely of the table 186 may be effected by loosening the nuts 207-207 and sliding the bracket longitudinally of the slotted carriage 199.

The carriage 199 is movable transversely of the table (Figs. 8, 9 and 10) on rollers 209-209 rotatably mounted thereon which travel in channel irons 210--210 mounted on the table 186 by angle irons 211 and 212. A depending portion 214 of the carriage carries a pin 215 rigidl fixed thereto which is slidable in a slot 21 formed in abell crank lever 218 pivotally secured to the under side of the table 186 at 219, and upon movement of the bell crank lever about its pivot, the carriage carrying the guideway will be moved so that the mouth of the guideway `will be associated with one or the other of the pluralit of passes of rolls at the intermediate mil Movement is imparted to the bell crank lever by a pneumatically operated piston 221 positioned in a cylinder 222 and actuating a rod 223 which has a pin 225 formed thereon. The pin is slidably positioned in a slot 226 formed in an' arm of the bell crank lever 218.

A bell crank tripping lever 227 projects through the base 189 of the guideway near its right hand end (Fig. 8), and into the path of a bar directed through the guideway. The lower end of this lever 227 normally engages the stem of a poppet valve 229 to maintain the poppet valve open and permit a flow of air through `the poppet valve to a 'timing valve 228 similar to that shown in Fig. 7 and described in connection with the table tilting mechanism. Upon the engagement of the tripping lever 227 by a bar, it will release the stem of vthe poppet valve 229 permitting that valve to close and Will engage the stem of an oppositely disposed poppet valve 230 to open it and permit air to flow therethrough to a fourwa valve 231 of a well known type and thence to the right end (Fig. 10) of the timing valve 228. The operation and construction of this timing valve, the four-way valve and the tripping valve are the same as the timing valve, four-way valve and the tripping Vvalve described hereinbefore in connection' with the table tilting mechanism shown in Fig. 7, except that the piston 221 actuates a bell crank lever to shift the guideway 181 from operative association with one pass in the intermediate rolls to operative association with a second pass therein and operates the four-way valve in a slightly dierent manner, as will be described hereinafter.

The four-Way valve 231 which is mounted beneath the table 186 and is controlled by a forked lever 233, one of the prongs 234 of which is curved as shown in Figs. 8 and 10. The prong 234 is formed in this manner so that after turning the four-way valve the necessary amount in one direction the in 215 will be freed from the forked lever, ut upon movement in the opposite direction may easily enter the forked lever again. It will be apparent that regardless of the length of stroke of the piston, due to adjustment of the guideway to serve predetermined ones of the passes of the rolls in the intermediate mill, the valve will be moved the same amount.

The adjustment of the guideway longitudinally of the carriage has been described hcreinbefore and the adjustment ofmovement of the carriage itself will now be described.

An angle iron 237 (Fig. 9) is secured to framework of the table 186 and engages a stopping member 238 formed on the carriage 199 to limit the movement of the carriage to the left (Fig. 9) and a bolt 239 threaded in the table and adjustably secured thereto by a lock nut 241, 4engages a stopping member .242 also formed on the carriage 199 to limit the movement of the carriage to the right.

It is believed thatA a better understanding of the apparatus described hereinbefore will be had by reference to the following description of the operation thereof. A bar of metal heated to a predetermined temperature is taken from a furnace not shown and inserted in the first pass of the roughing mill at 21 and is automatically carried along the path shown by the dotted line 22' in the direction indicated by the arrows formed on the dotted line. After passing through the first pass at the roughing mill the bar is reduced in diameter and of necessity lengthened and will be discharged upon the tapered shelf 23 which is of insufficient width to support it. Upon dropping from the shelf 23 the bar engages a lever which controls the operation of the plunger 63, whereupon the plunger will be actua-ted to engage the right end (Fig. 1) of the bar and force it back into the second pass of the roughing mill at the position indicated ,by the numeral 65. From the second pass it will be transferred to the vertical repeater 69 and thence back to the third pass of the roughing mill.

After being again reduced the bar will be ejected from the third pass onto the table 73 and in passing to the table will operate the tripping lever 7 4 controlling the table tilting mechanism. As soon as the bar releases the lever 74 the table 73 will be tilted to discharge the bar edgewise into the trough 150, whereupon the bar will engage the lever 155 controlling the operation of the idler roller 159 and will be pinched between the idler roller and the constantly driven roller'163 and so advanced to the fourth pass of the roughing mill. Upon its discharge from the fourth pass at the roughing mill the bar will be carried through a repeating device of a well known type preferably offthe type disclosed in the Patent No. 1,709,448, above referred to, which directs it to the last pass of the roughing mill and thence to the shifting guideway 181 which will direct it to a predetermined one of a plurality of passes 182 in the first stand of the intermediate mill 183.

The bar in passing over the guideway 181 of the shifting guideway engages the tripping lever 227 so that afl-ter the bar has passed over the table the guideway will be shifted to the other predetermined pass of the intermediate mill. The purpose of the last mentioned device, the shifting guideway 181, is to expedite the handling of bars at the intermediate mill. This is accomplished by utilizing more than one of the passes of the first stand of the intermediate mill through the mechanism shown generally in Fig. 2 and shown in detail in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11. In using 'this mechanism it will not be necessary for the bar transferred from the first stand of the intermediate mill to the second stand thereof to pass completely through the second stand before another bar may be started through another pass thereof, but the second bar may be started through another pass of the second stand before the first bar is completely reduced by the second stand of rolls.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rolling mill for forming rods, a roughing mill, an intermediate mill having a plurality of passes, and pneumatically operated means controlled b the rod from the roughing mill for directing rods from the roughing mill to predetermined ones of the passes in the intermediate mill.

2. A rod mill system comprising a roughing mill, an intermediate mill having a plurality of passes, and pneumatically controlled means for alternately directing rods from the roughingA mill to predetermined ones of the passes in the intermediate mill.

3. In a rolling mill for forming rods, a`

roughing mill having a plurality of passes, a tapered shelf for receiving a rod from one pass having its end adjacent to the pass of insufficient Width to support the rod, and a pneumatically actuated plunger controlled by a rod dropped from the shelf for engaglng the rod to advance it to another pass.

.4. In a rolling mill for forming rods, a. roughing mill having a plurality of passes, upper and lower sets of rolls at each ass, a tapered shelf for receiving the rod rom the upper set of rolls at one pass in the roughmg mill having its end ad1acent to the rolls of insufficient width to support a rod, a pneumatically actuated plunger controlledV by a rod dropped from the tapered shelf for engaging the rod to advance it to the lower set of rolls at another pass, and a pneumatically controlled vertical repeater for receiving the rod from the last mentioned pass and directing it upwardly to the upper set of rolls at a third pass in the roughing mill.

5. In a rolling mill for forming rods, a roughing mill having upper and lower sets of rolls and having a plurality of passes, a pneumatically controlled vertical repeater for receiving a rod from the lower set of rolls at one pass and directing it to an up` ing the table, and a trough positioned adj acent the tiltable table for receiving a rod discharged from the table and for guiding the rod to a. lower set of rolls at another pass.

6. In a rolling mill for forming rods, a roughing' mill having a plurality of passes, upper and lower sets of rolls at each pass, a tiltable table for receiving Aa rod discharged from the upper set of rolls at one pass, means controlled by the rod for tilting the table, a trough positioned adjacent the tiltable table to receive a roddischarged therefrom, a constantly driven roller positioned in the trough, an idler roller positioned opposite the driven roller, and means controlled by the rod for moving the idler roller toward the driven roller to pinclrthe rod therebetween and advance it to a lower set of rolls in another pass.

7. In a rolling mill for forming rods, a roughing mill having a plurality of passes, upper and-lower sets of rolls at cach pass, a tiltable table for receiving a rod discharged from the upper set of rolls at one pass, means controlled by the rod for tilting the tiltable table, a trough positioned adjacent the tiltable table to receive a rod discharged therefrom, a constantly driven rollei` positioned in the trough, an idler roller positioned opposite the driven roller, and a horizontal repeating mechanism for directing the rod from the lower set of the last mentioned pass to the upper set of rolls in a third pass.x

8. In afrollin mill for forming rods, a roughing mill having'al plurality of passes, a tapered shelf positioned with its narrow end adjacentthe'upper set of the first pass for supporting a rod discharged from the rolls and effective upon the release of the rod by the rolls to4 drop the rod therefrom, a trough positioned adjacent the tapered shelf for receiving the rod discharged therefrom, a pivoted lever positioned in the trough and adapted to be engaged by the rod dropped therein, a timing valve associated with said lever, and apneumatically actuated plunger controlled by the timing valve for engaging the rod to advance it to the lower 4set of rolls at another pass.`

9. In a rolling mill for forming roda-a roughing mill having a plurality o passes, upper and lower sets of rolls in caen pass, tiltable table forreceiving a rod discharged from the upper set of rolls at one pass, a toggle lever effective to tilt the table, and pneumatically actuated means for operating the toggle to tilt the table and discharge a rod therefrom.

l0. In a transfer mechanism for rod rolling mills having a plurality of passes, a table! lto discharge a rod therefrom and moving one of the side walls out of the path of the rod,

` and means responsive to the discharge of the an` intermediate mill having a plurality of I passes, a guideway interposed between the roughing mill and the intermediate mill and shiftable alternately into operative association with either of two predetermined passes cf the intermediate mill to guide rods thereto, and fluid operated means controlled by the rod for actuating the guideway.

l2. In a rolling millfor forming rods, a roughing mill having a plurality of passes, a tapered shelf adjacentthe roughing mill for supporting a rod being discharged from the one pass until the rod is released by the rolls, a pneumatically actuated plunger for automatically engaging one end of the rod dropped from the tapered shelf to direct it to a second pass, a vertical repeater for receivin the rod from the second pass and directing it to a third pass, a pneumatically :actuatedD tiltable table for receiving the rod from the third pass, means controlled by the rod for automatically tilting the table to discharge the rod therefrom, a trough for receiving the rod dischar ed from the tiltable table, a constantly riven roller positioned in the trough, a pneumatically controlled idler roller for automatically pinching a rod between itself and the driven roller to advance the rod to a fourth pass in the roughing mill, and a horizontal repeater for receiving the rod from the fourth pass and guiding it to a fifth pass in the roughing mill.

i3. In a transfer mechanism for rod rolling mills, having a plurality of passes, a tapered support for receiving a 'rod from` one pass and having a portion of insuliicient width to support the rod, and means 'including a pneumatically operated plunger-controiled by a rod dropped from the support for advancing the rod to another pass.

In a material rolling mill having a rplurality ci passes, a pair or cooperating .ller-s for engaging therebetween material charged from one of the passes, and means Lading a pneumaticaliy operated member eciated with one of the .rollers and conofied by the discharged material or ren- .iering the rollers en'ective for advancing the material to another of the passes.

l5. In al material rolling mill having a plurality el .is-ses, a constantly driven roller 'or engaging material discharged from one the passes, an idler roller positioned -opposits the een roller and movable with respect there .ind means controlled by the material for moving the idler roller toward tiltable support for receiving materialfrom one of the passes, and means movable alter nately in opposite directions and controlled by material discharged from saidrpass, the movable means being effective during its movement in each direction to tilt the ysupport to discharge the material therefrom and to restore the support tofits normal position.

17. In a transfer mechanism for rod rolling mills having a plurality of passes, a tiltable table normally horizontally disposed for receiving a rod from one pass, and pneumatical- 1y actuated means including a plunger movable Within a cylinder and connected bytoggle levers to the table to tilt the table and to restore it to the horizontal position by a single stroke of the plunger from one end of the cyllnder to the other, the pneumatically actuated means responsive to a rod discharged from one of the passes.

p 18. In a transfer mechanism for rod rolling mills having a plurality of passes, a tiltable table normally horizontally disposed, and pneumatically actuated means including a plunger movable Within a cylinder and connected by toggle levers to the table to tilt the table and to return it to the horizontal osition by a single stroke of the plunger rom either end of the cylinder to the other end thereof.

19. In a rolling mill for forming material, a roughing mill, an intermediate mill having a plurality of passes, a guide member for guiding the material to the passes, a transversely movable carriage supporting the guide member in alignment With any one of the several passes, and pneumatically actuated means controlled by an advancing body of the material for aligning the guide member with a predetermined pass.

20. In a transfer mechanism for a material rolling mill having a plurality of passes, a member for receiving material discharged from one'of the passes, a transversely movable carriage supporting the member, and a pneumatically actuated plunger operatively connected to the carriafre and controlled by the material received by the member for aligning it with predetermined ones of the passes.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of December A. D.,

RALPH COLLINS VALTER. 

